Purulent pericarditis due to co-infection with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptococcus pneumoniae</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycobacterium tuberculosis</Emphasis>in a patient with features of advanced HIV infection

Background  

Both Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Streptococcus pneumoniae are common pathogens in patients with HIV infection.     

The prevalence and risk factors for acute respiratory infections in children aged 0‐59 months in rural Malawi: A cross‐sectional study

Background

Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) are a leading cause of childhood mortality and morbidity. Malawi has high childhood mortality but limited data on the prevalence of disease in the community.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study of children aged 0‐59 months. Health passports were examined for ARI diagnoses in the preceding 12 months. Children were physically examined for malnutrition or current ARI.

Results

828 children participated. The annual prevalence of ARI was 32.6% (95% CI 29.3‐36.0%). Having a sibling with ARI (OR 1.44, P = .01), increasing household density (OR 2.17, P = .02) and acute malnutrition (OR 1.69, P = .01) were predictors of infection in the last year. The point prevalence of ARI was 8.3% (95% CI 6.8‐10.4%). Risk factors for current ARI were acute‐on‐chronic malnutrition (OR 3.06, P = .02), increasing household density (OR1.19, P = .05) and having a sibling with ARI (OR 2.30, P = .02).

Conclusion

This study provides novel data on the high prevalence of ARI in Malawi. This baseline data can be used in the monitoring and planning of future interventions in this population.     

Infection with Specific <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicobacter pylori</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">cag</Emphasis> Pathogenicity Island Strains Is Associated with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Interleukin-1B</Emphasis> Gene Polymorphisms in Venezuelan Chronic Gastritis Patients

Background  

The cag pathogenicity island (cag-PAI) is one of the major virulence factors of Helicobacter pylori, showing considerable geographic variation.     

Mutation detection analysis of a region of 16S-like ribosomal RNA gene of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Entamoeba histolytica</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Entamoeba dispar</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Entamoeba moshkovskii</Emphasis>

Background  

The level of intra-species genetic variation in Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar and Entamoeba moshkovskii populations in a localized geographic area, like Puducherry, India, remains unknown.     

Effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicobacter pylori</Emphasis> Infection on Symptoms of Gastroenteritis Due to Enteropathogenic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> in Adults

Background  

Helicobacter pylori can cause hypochlorhydria in some hosts and predispose to diarrheal infections.     

Diagnostic relevance of simultaneous testing for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlamydia trachomatis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neisseria gonorrhoeae</Emphasis>

Background  

The prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infection in a Swiss cohort among individuals consulting for screening or symptomatic reasons is not very well known.     

Epidemiological,clinical, and diagnostic data on intestinal infections with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Entamoeba histolytica</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Entamoeba dispar</Emphasis> among returning travelers

Background  

Among travelers returning from the tropics, Entamoeba spp. are among the most frequently detected intestinal parasites, mainly the presumable apathogenic E. dispar and the pathogenic E. histolytica.     

Micro‐ribonucleic acid‐binding site variants of type 2 diabetes candidate loci predispose to gestational diabetes mellitus in Chinese Han women

Aims/Introduction

Emerging evidence has suggested that the genetic background of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was analogous to type 2 diabetes mellitus. In contrast to type 2 diabetes mellitus, the genetic studies for GDM were limited. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to extensively explore the influence of micro‐ribonucleic acid‐binding single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in type 2 diabetes mellitus candidate loci on GDM susceptibility in Chinese.

Materials and Methods

A total of 839 GDM patients and 900 controls were enrolled. Six micro‐ribonucleic acid‐binding SNPs were selected from 30 type 2 diabetes mellitus susceptibility loci and genotyped using TaqMan allelic discrimination assays.

Results

The minor allele of three SNPs, PAX4 rs712699 (OR 1.366, 95% confidence interval 1.021–1.828, P = 0.036), KCNB1 rs1051295 (OR 1.579, 95% confidence interval 1.172–2.128, P = 0.003) and MFN2 rs1042842 (OR 1.398, 95% confidence interval 1.050–1.862, P = 0.022) were identified to significantly confer higher a risk of GDM in the additive model. The association between rs1051295 and increased fasting plasma glucose (b = 0.006, P = 0.008), 3‐h oral glucose tolerance test plasma glucose (b = 0.058, P = 0.025) and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (b = 0.065, P = 0.017) was also shown. Rs1042842 was correlated with higher 3‐h oral glucose tolerance test plasma glucose (b = 0.056, P = 0.028). However, no significant correlation between the other included SNPs (LPIN1 rs1050800, VPS26A rs1802295 and NLRP3 rs10802502) and GDM susceptibility were observed.

Conclusions

The present findings showed that micro‐ribonucleic acid‐binding SNPs in type 2 diabetes mellitus candidate loci were also associated with GDM susceptibility, which further highlighted the similar genetic basis underlying GDM and type 2 diabetes mellitus.     

Predominant <Emphasis Type="Italic">porB1A</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">porB1B</Emphasis> genotypes and correlation of gene mutations with drug resistance in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neisseria gonorrhoeae</Emphasis> isolates in Eastern China

Background  

Variations of porB1A and porB1B genes and their serotypes exist in Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from different geographical areas, and some site mutations in the porB1B gene correlate with drug resistance.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare</Emphasis>cellulitis occurring with septic arthritis after joint injection: a case report

Background  

Cellulitis caused by Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare has rarely been described. Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare is a rare cause of septic arthritis after intra-articular injection, though the causative role of injection is difficult to ascertain in such cases.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Enterobacter nimipressuralis</Emphasis> as a cause of pseudobacteremia

Background  

The clinical significance of the Enterobacter nimipressuralis as human pathogens remains unclear.     

Analysis of pancreatic volume in acute‐onset,slowly‐progressive and fulminant type 1 diabetes in a Japanese population

Aims/Introduction

A decrease in the size of the pancreas is observed in islet autoantibody‐positive non‐diabetic donors and acute‐onset type 1 diabetes irrespective of the diabetes duration. Little is known, however, about the relationship between the size of the pancreas and type 1 diabetes subtypes, including fulminant type 1 diabetes.

Materials and Methods

We examined the pancreatic volume (PV) in 44 adult patients with type 1 diabetes (16 acute‐onset type 1 diabetes, 18 slowly progressive type 1 diabetes and 10 fulminant type 1 diabetes) and 39 age‐ and body mass index‐matched non‐diabetic controls. PV was measured by computed tomography. The ability to secrete insulin was assessed by stimulated C‐peptide after intravenous glucagon administration.

Results

PV was significantly correlated with bodyweight in both control participants and type 1 diabetes patients. The PV index (PVI; PV/bodyweight) was decreased by 39% in type 1 diabetes compared with that in controls. PVI was significantly decreased in acute‐onset type 1 diabetes patients and slowly progressive type 1 diabetes patients (both P < 0.0001), but not in fulminant type 1 diabetes patients (P = 0.10), compared with control participants. In cases patients with recent‐onset type 1 diabetes (0–7 days post‐diagnosis), PVI was significantly decreased in acute‐onset type 1 diabetes patients (n = 8, P = 0.0005), but not in fulminant type 1 diabetes patients (n = 7, P = 0.44), compared with controls. PVI showed no correlations with the diabetes duration, C‐peptide levels, glycated hemoglobin, glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibody levels, serum amylase or daily total insulin dose in type 1 diabetes subtypes.

Conclusions

The present results show that patients with acute‐onset type 1 diabetes and slowly progressive type 1 diabetes have small pancreases irrespective of the diabetes duration or C‐peptide levels. In contrast to earlier findings on acute‐onset type 1 diabetes, we found no reduction of PVI at the onset of fulminant type 1 diabetes.     

Resistance of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis</Emphasis>to nitric oxide correlates with disease severity in Tegumentary Leishmaniasis

Background  

Nitric oxide (NO^•) plays a pivotal role as a leishmanicidal agent in mouse macrophages. NO^• resistant Escherichia coli and Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been associated with a severe outcome of these diseases.     

Prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas luteola</Emphasis>

Background  

Pseudomonas luteola has been recognized as an uncommon cause of bacteremia and of infections in patients with underlying medical disorders     

Clinical features of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacteroides</Emphasis> bacteremia and their association with colorectal carcinoma

Purpose  

We investigated the clinical features of Bacteroides bacteremia for 5 years to determine the risk factors for mortality and to ascertain whether bacteremia due to Bacteroides spp. is associated with colorectal carcinoma.     

Selective T‐cell depletion targeting CD45RA reduces viremia and enhances early T‐cell recovery compared with CD3‐targeted T‐cell depletion

1 Background

T‐cell depletion (TCD) effectively reduces severe graft‐versus‐host disease in recipients of HLA‐mismatched allografts. However, TCD is associated with delayed immune recovery and increased infections. We hypothesized that specific depletion of CD45RA+ naive T cells, rather than broad depletion of CD3+ T cells, can preserve memory‐immunity in the allografts and confer protection against important viral infections in the early post‐transplant period.

2 Methods

Sixty‐seven patients who received TCD haploidentical donor transplantation for hematologic malignancy on 3 consecutive trials were analyzed.

3 Results

Patients receiving CD45RA‐depleted donor grafts had 2000‐fold more donor T cells infused, significantly higher T‐cell counts at Day +30 post transplant (550/μL vs 10/μL; P < .001), and higher T‐cell diversity by Vbeta spectratyping at Day +100 (P < .001). Importantly, these recipients experienced a significant reduction in both the incidence (P = .002) and duration (P = .02) of any viremia (cytomegalovirus, Epstein‐Barr virus, or adenovirus) in the first 6 months post transplant. Specifically, recipients of CD3‐depleted grafts were more likely to experience adenovirus viremia (27% vs 4%, P = .02).

4 Conclusion

CD45RA‐depletion provided a large number of donor memory T cells to the recipients and was associated with enhanced early T‐cell recovery and protection against viremia.     

Association of mutation patterns in <Emphasis Type="Italic">gyrA/B</Emphasis> genes and ofloxacin resistance levels in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycobacterium tuberculosis</Emphasis>isolates from East China in 2009

Background  

This study aimed to analyze the association of mutation patterns in gyrA and gyrB genes and the ofloxacin resistance levels in clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates sampled in 2009 from East China.     

Proinflammatory and Anti-inflammatory Cytokines Present in the Acute Phase of Experimental Colitis Treated with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomyces boulardii</Emphasis>

Purpose  

To study the proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines present in the acute phase of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced experimental colitis treated with Saccharomyces boulardii.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Staphylococcus aureus</Emphasis> intestinal colonization is associated with increased frequency of <Emphasis Type="Italic">S. aureus</Emphasis>on skin of hospitalized patients

Background  

Intestinal colonization by Staphylococcus aureus among hospitalized patients has been associated with increased risk of staphylococcal infection and could potentially contribute to transmission. We hypothesized that S. aureus intestinal colonization is associated with increased frequency of S. aureus on patients' skin and nearby environmental surfaces.     

On the Association Between Soft Drink Consumption and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helicobacter pylori</Emphasis> Infection

Background  

The association between soft drink (SD) consumption and Helicobacter pylori infection remains unclear.